Ranking the Falcons 2014: No. 33 Patrick DiMarco

I’m counting down the top 40 players on the Atlanta Falcons, and let’s continue with 33rd-ranked player: fullback Patrick DiMarco.

To read the methodology I devised to rank the Falcons players, click here.

Total Score: 44/100

Last year’s rank: N/APlayer Grade: 49/100Teams he is starter: 8 out of 32Teams he is best position player: 13 out of 32Teams he is role player: 8 out of 32Peak-Year Bonus: +3Positional Bonus: +2

DiMarco gets ranked over a better overall player like running back Jacquizz Rodgers essentially because the former has at least some potential to start for a quarter of the remaining teams in the league.

DiMarco is essentially a slightly above average lead blocker. While he’s not the most powerful guy out there, he consistently hits his assignments and does enough to create space for his running back.

He’s also a competent special teams player, carving out a role on punt coverage last year for the Falcons. Unfortunately it did not lead to high production as he only recorded a single stop on special teams. But that ability will help him earn a roster spot as he vies to fight off a pair of undrafted rookies for what is likely to be only one roster spot at fullback.

The fullback position will receive less emphasis due to expectations that the Falcons will fully embrace three wide receiver sets as their base offensive attack this year. But there is still going to be a need for someone to lead Steven Jackson and other running backs through the hole on occasion, which should lead to one lead blocker being kept.

The question remains, is whether DiMarco will be tasked with filling that role or someone else. At this point it could go either way, but at least DiMarco is the most known commodity as things stand today. And if push comes to shove that can help earn him one of the last roster spots on the team this summer.